Anderson charted 12 No. 1, 18 Top 10, and more than 50 Top 40 hits. In addition to being named "Top Female Vocalist" by the Academy of Country Music (ACM) twice and "Female Vocalist of the Year" by the Country Music Association (CMA), Anderson won a Grammy Award (earning seven nominations), People's Choice Award and an American Music Award (AMA). She was named Billboard's Female Artist of the Decade (1970–1980).
Anderson was the first female country artist to win the American Music Award (in 1974), as well as the first to headline and sellout Madison Square Garden that same year.
Anderson debuted in 1966, at the age of 19, and had her first hit with Ride, Ride, Ride. After a series of Top 10 hit singles on the country charts during the late 1960s, Anderson signed with Columbia Records in 1970. Under Columbia, she had her most successful string of hits. Her signature song, "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden", remains one of the biggest selling country crossover hits of all time. In addition, the song also went to No. 3 on the Billboard Pop Chart and reached the top of the charts in several countries, an unprecedented achievement at the time. CMT ranks "Rose Garden" at No. 83 on its list of the "100 Greatest Songs in Country Music History". Anderson continued to record and remained a popular concert attraction until her death, regularly headlining major casino showrooms, performing arts centers and theaters.
She grew up in Sacramento, California with her mother, acclaimed singer-songwriter Liz Anderson who wrote "The Fugitive" and "(All My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers", both Merle Haggard hits, among others. She began her solo career in 1966 with "In Person", followed by a hit with her mother's "If I Kiss You (Will You Go Away)".
In 1968 she married Glenn Sutton, a future Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, with whom she had a daughter, Lisa. (They divorced in 1977.)
Consistent hits followed, and she was a regular on The Lawrence Welk Show during the 1967-68 season. In 1969 Anderson signed to Columbia where her work veered a bit more toward a polished, pop sound. She released her signature song, "Rose Garden" in late 1970. The song, written by Joe South, won a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance reached number 1 on the U.S. country charts, and also hit number 3 on the pop charts, as well as being a hit in fifteen countries. Anderson also received Grammy nominations for her recordings "Big Girls Don't Cry" (1968), "That's a No No" (1969), and "How Can I Unlove You" (1971)> Anderson's other hits during this period included "You're My Man", "Listen to a Country Song", "Top of the World" (a number 1 country record for Anderson before becoming a pop hit for The Carpenters), "Cry", "Keep Me in Mind", "What a Man My Man Is" and "Smile For Me". In 1971, she was voted Top Female Vocalist of the year by both the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association. Anderson charted eight no.one singles, 18 Top-Tens and earned a total of 17 international Gold records. She was perhaps the most in-demand country female vocalist on network television throughout the 1970's but after 1975 her records usually peaked in the top 20 as opposed to her earlier top ten success.
Anderson married a Louisiana businessman in 1978. The second marriage produced two more children, and she was divorced in 1982.
Anderson remained one of the top female country singers into the 1980's. Her last top ten record was 1984s "You're Welcome to Tonight". During the late 1980's and early 1990s, she received much press for her disputes with her now-divorced second husband. After spending time on her ranch, raising horses and participating in equestrian events, she began recording again in 1992.
"The Bluegrass Sessions", released in 2004, earned Anderson her first Grammy nomination in over 30 years.
That same year Anderson was arrested in Denton, Texas, for drunk driving.
The American Rose Society created and named in her honor a white and raspberry hybrid tea rose.
Anderson released a new CD of original songs entitled "Cowgirl" in 2006, all of the songs penned by her mother, the acclaimed songwriter Liz Anderson.
I'm Gonna Write A Song
Lynn Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They're happy to receive but they hardly ever want to give
I'm so tired of complaining and so in the time remaining
I'm gonna do my best to make the world a better place to live
I'm gonna write a song that the whole wide world can sing
It's gonna be about sunshine and praise every living thing
It's gonna be about love the one thing the world needs a lot more of
Our fourfathers had only faith in God and they willed to make the nation strong
So the old time religion could help 'em find a better way
We need more soul saving and a lot more people flag waving
And there's no better time for us to start than today
I'm gonna write a song that the whole wide world can sing
It's gonna be about sunshine and praise every living thing
It's gonna be about love the one thing the world needs a lot more of
I'm gonna write a song that the whole wide world can sing
I'm gonna write a song that the whole wide world can sing
It's gonna be about sunshine and praise every living thing
It's gonna be about love the one thing the world needs a lot more of
I'm gonna write a song that the whole wide world can sing
I'm gonna write a song that the whole wide world can sing
It's gonna be about sunshine and praise every living thing
In Lynn Anderson's song "I'm Gonna Write A Song," she addresses the negativity and complaining that is prevalent in the world, and offers a solution to make the world a better place. Anderson points out that people are often happy to receive, but hesitant to give back. She acknowledges that she is tired of this type of behavior, and so she decides to take action by writing a song that is filled with positivity, love, and praise for all living things. Anderson notes that this is something that the whole world can participate in, and it is a way to bring people together, rather than create division.
The chorus of the song emphasizes Anderson's desire to create a unifying message through her music. She mentions that the song will be about sunshine, love, and praise for all living things, which reflects her hopeful outlook for the world. The lyrics also mention the importance of faith and the old-time religion, which had helped our forefathers find a better way. Anderson suggests that we need to return to these core beliefs in order to create a better future.
Overall, the message of Lynn Anderson's "I'm Gonna Write A Song" is one of hope, love, and positivity in the face of negativity and adversity. Anderson believes that music is a powerful tool that can bring people together and inspire change.
Line by Line Meaning
Folks sit around with their face in a frown and gape about the way things they are
People often complain about the world without taking action
They're happy to receive but they hardly ever want to give
People are selfish and don't give back to society
I'm so tired of complaining and so in the time remaining
The singer is tired of complaining and wants to take action
I'm gonna do my best to make the world a better place to live
The artist wants to make a positive change in the world
It's gonna be about sunshine and praise every living thing
The song will focus on positivity and appreciation for all living beings
It's gonna be about love the one thing the world needs a lot more of
The song will emphasize the importance of love in making the world a better place
Our fourfathers had only faith in God and they willed to make the nation strong
The singer references the determination of the nation's founding fathers with their faith in God
So the old time religion could help 'em find a better way
Religion helped guide the founding fathers in finding a better way for the nation
We need more soul saving and a lot more people flag waving
The artist believes in the need for more patriotism and moral values
And there's no better time for us to start than today
The artist believes that positive change can start today
I'm gonna write a song that the whole wide world can sing
The singer plans to create a song that can unify people around the world
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Glenn Sutton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind